Miscellaneous

In Praise of Micheal O Muircheartaigh

September 21st, 2010
by Weeshie Fogarty

When growing up on the side of Lower New St Killarney I was always told by my elders that no person is irreplaceable and no one is indispensable. I always believed that to be true and for one person who passes on or retires there will always be another more or less ready to take their place. Using sporting parlance just look at Kerry footballers and in particular midfielders. Bob Stack went, and along came Paddy Kennedy who even surpassed the North Kerry great. We will never see his likes again the wise old me of Kerry football told us of Paddy. Then a young man from Valentia appeared on the horizon in 1958. Mick o Connell would definitely be irreplaceable, no doubt about this. Jack o Shea proved otherwise and went on to become one of the greatest ever. And again the prophets of doom were in full voice when Jacko came to the end of the road in 1992. So just to prove the theory of being  indispensable completely unfounded once again Dara o Se took over that mantle of greatness and proved himself as great as any of his forbearers in the middle of the field. So for many years it appeared that what was drummed into me as a young man "no one is irreplaceable" was completely true. There was always someone to take another's place. I believed this until the death of John B Keane. Here was a man who for me anyway turned that theory completely on its head because John B was one of a kind, special, unique and time has proven he is irreplaceable. 

Thousand of words have been spoken and written in praise of Micheal o Muircheartaigh since he announced last week that he was as they might say "hanging up his microphone" following last Sundays All Ireland football final. The voice that has defined GAA broadcasting for a generation and has echoed down the decads will no longer be heard wafting on the summer breeze across the country as the championship summers dominate the lives of thousands of followers. Like John B Keane, Micheal is quite simply irreplaceable. Of course Michael o Hehir was magnificent and I certainly would not dare compare these two exemplary RTE commentators'.  It's impossible to say with complete accuracy just why Micheal was so great at what he did. He displayed a multitude of skills when he took up position behind the mike. No other commentator in my opinion can come anywhere near the man from Dun Sion.  He could set the scene for a big match like no one else and with consummate ease move from the English language to his beautiful soft Ghailge. His gra for our native language always came shinning through and indeed he has done more for the language than many others.

I honestly believe the fact that he is a Kerryman has played a massive part in his greatness as a person and a commentator. His upbringing in West Kerry, the stories, traditions and history he would have heard must have shaped his thinking and ingrained in him the great love for our native games. To see Michael in full flow in Croke Park on All Ireland final day is a memory that will forever stay with me. I have been fortunate through my work at finals for Radio Kerry in Croke Park to have seen at very close quarters the master at work and it's a sight to behold.  He becomes completely engrossed in the ebb and flow of a game and when excitement might reach fever pitch he will get to his feet pointing and waving his hands at the action unfolding before him. He becomes animated, veins bulging in his neck as he relays to the world at large every kick or puck of the ball. And of course intermingled with all of this he will bring listeners on a magical little journey to some near or far destination as his lyrical descriptions of people and places are woven into the fabric of the game. I like thousands of others around the world have on many occasions as I did last Sunday turned down the TV commentary and listened enthralled to the man from Dun Sion as he brought to a magnificent conclusion a career that began away back in 1949.

He is a stickler for accuracy and prepares assiduously for every outing. You would see him right up to the start of a match entering some message or statistic into a large copy book which accompanies him to every commentary. There is always one of his family at his side handing him notes, pointing to some incident but never coming in his way as he appears as if to be in a world of his own. Before the recent Kerry/Down game I happened to sit just behind him in the broadcasting area and watched as he leafed through a book which I later learned was the just published updated version of "The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games".  He travels the country wherever he is invited and on a number of occasions when I happened to be in his company I would always marvel at the fact that he would usually head back to his home whether it be late night or early morning. He is of course one of the best known and loved people in Ireland and he has that unique gift of being able to communicate and spend time equally with young and old.

To spend time in his company is very special and one comes away feeling enriched and the possessor of some little nugget of knowledge which he invariably comes up with.  Micheal is generous, kind, soft spoken, easy going;  The word NO I believe is not in his vocabulary and on numerous occasions when I approached him before, at half time or after a game and requested an interview for Radio Kerry he never once refused and one was always treated with great respect and the utmost curtsey. Whenever invited to Kerry for a launch, radio programme or some charitable cause he has never to my knowledge refused. Unlike the late Michael o Hehir, our Micheal retires thank God in full health. He will have loads to occupy his time, indeed if he decided to run for President he would waltz into The Park.  And maybe we might even see him honored as President of the Kerry county board some time.  Some one will take his place as RTE commentator but like John B Keane he is irreplaceable. We have been privileged to have lived in an era where the greatest radio commentator of all time enthralled and captivated the nation and beyond Sunday after Sunday. We wish him his wife and family well and a happy retirement.

Fogra; I have been working on a ground breaking DVD on Kerry football for over two years now. Christy Riordan of C/R Videos Caherciveen is an expert at his work. Now I can reveal after all this time this massive production "Secrets of Kerry, A Captains Story" will be launched in South Kerry on Oct. 22nd and in Killarney Oct. 26th. My personal opinion is that it will prove to be the best of its kind ever produced in Ireland. Strong words I hear you say. Four hours of fascinating Kerry football history. You are invited; pencil the date into your diary, (if you have one).



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